Changeable sign



H. E. STEDMAN CHANGEABLE SIGN April 11, 1939.

Filed Oct. 9, 1937 INVENTOR. EDMHN H- E- ET ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 11, 1939 UNrrso STATS PATENT OFFIQE 2 Claims.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a sign for night and day yuse that is` capable at night of transmitting to the observer information different from that transmitted to the observer in the day time.

More specifically, the object of this invention is to provide a sign havingv first indicia readable in day light and substantially invisible at night and second indicia different from the rst mentioned indicia capable of being read at night when subjected to a source of illumination and which is substantially invisible during day light.

A further object of my invention is toprovide a sign having certain indicia for day transmission and certain different information for night transmission that is refined in appearance, economical in manufacture and durable in use.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in the construction, ar-

rangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of my sign ready for use.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front View of an ordinary crystal reflector button mounted back of an opening in the sign board.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view of one of the crystal reflector buttons and more fully shows one method of securing the same to the signboard.

Fig. 4 is a perspective sectional view of a modified form of structure of my night and day sign.

Fig. 5 is a side sectional View of a portion of the sign construction shown in Fig. 4.

In many instances it is highly desirable that a sign convey certain information in the day time and entirely different information at night. This is particularly true in the case of road and highway signs. During daylight a certain highway speed may be driven in safety, while during the night time this speed would unquestionably be dangerous. While my sign is particularly designed for highway use Where night driving speeds of directions must be diierent from that of daylight driving speeds or information, obviously my sign can be used for all other purposes where it is desired to have a sign automatically provide one indicia for daylight observation and different indicia for night observation.

Referring to the drawing, I have used the numeral lil to designate the sign board of my de- 55 vice, or the flat base element. For daylight use any desired indicia may be painted, cut or otherwise suitably imposed on the board.

In Fig. 1, I show the numeral thirty-five painted on the front of the member ID and I have designated the three by `the numeral Ii 5 and the iive by the numeral I2. Obviously, this numeral can be easily read during daylight and as shown by the drawing can signify that the highway speed limit is thirty-five miles per hour. Also in the board I0 I have formed a plu- 10 rality of spaced apart holes or openings I3. These openings are placed without consideration of or to the painted numeral thirty-uve and in outline form the indicia which is designed to be readable at night. In Fig. 1, it will be noted 15 that these holes are so arranged in the board lll as to form the outline of the numeral thirty Back of each hole I3 I secured by any suitable means to the board I0, a crystal reflector button I4 as shownin Fig. 3. These crystal reflector 20 buttons may be mounted within or back of the board I0 and obviously, any other light reiiecting means or element may be used back of or in the openings I3. Naturally, during daylight the highway driver will observe only the painted or 25 otherwise imposed number thirty-rive and will not observe the indicia suggested by the outlines formed by the holes I3. On the other hand, at night when his car app-roaches my sign, the numeral thirty-five will be substantially invisible 30 but due to the reilection of light from his headlights, the numeral 3=ll will be readily visible. From this it will be seen that the sign shown in Fig. 1 will provide information to a driver that the daylight speed at that particular point on 35 the highway is thirty-live miles per hour and at night he will be warned that the speed limit for that particular point on the highway will be thirty miles per hour.

Obviously, any combination of indicia for day 40 and night use may be used and the combination shown in Fig. 1 is merely suggestive of the possibilities of my sign.

In Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 I show a modified form of structure but the principal is the same. In these gures I have used the numeral I5 to designate a. base board having in front of it and spaced apart from its face a screen mesh or like perforated member I6. The numerals to be observed during the daylight are painted or otherwise imposed on the member I6. In the drawing I use the numeral I1 to designate such a numeral. The numeral I8 designates the night numeral imposed on the front of the board I5 and back of the screen I6. The numeral or tion and arrangement of my improved changeable sign Without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modied forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a sign, a base element, indicia on said 20 base element capable of being read in daylight and substantially invisible at night, and indicia on said base element different from said first mentioned indicia and having no inherent luminosity but having light reflecting characteristics whereby it can be observed at night when subjected to an outside source of light but substantially invisible during daylight.

2. In a sign, a base element, indicia on said base element having poor light reecting characteristics capable of being read in daylight and substantially invisible at night, and indicia on said base element contradicting the said rst mentioned indicia having no inherent luminosity but having light reflecting characteristics wherebyit canbe read at night but is substantially invisible during daylight; said sign thereby being capable of giving certain information during daylight and a contradictory information during the hours of darkness.

HARRY E. STEDMAN. 

